Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Social Services: Pay

baroness gardner of parkes: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to check whether agencies employing careworkers are paying the costs of such workers for their travel between clients.

lord henley: Time spent travelling from one client to another counts as time worked for minimum wage purposes, and the Government is clear that everyone entitled to the National Minimum and Living Wage (NMW) should receive it. Since 2015, the Government has almost doubled the budget for enforcing the NMW to £26.3 million, a record high.Anyone who feels they are not receiving the NMW should contact the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas), who provide free, impartial information and advice on all aspects of workplace relations and employment law. Where appropriate, Acas can pass on complaints to HMRC for enforcement; HMRC follow up on all complaints received from workers about possible NMW underpayment.

Groceries Code Adjudicator

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the Groceries Code Adjudicator.

lord henley: The Groceries Code Adjudicator Act 2013 requires the Government to conduct and consult on a review every three years into the operational effectiveness of the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA). The Act specifies the issues which the review must address and who must be consulted as part of the review. The first statutory review covered the period from the creation of the GCA (in June 2013), to 31 March 2016. It found that the GCA is regarded as an exemplary modern regulator with an international reputation. The Government response to the review was published in July 2017 –https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/groceries-code-adjudicator-statutory-review-2013-to-2016 (copy attached) The second statutory review of the GCA will cover the period from 1st April 2016 to 31 March 2019. The Government will launch the second review shortly. We will ensure all those with an interest have an opportunity to contribute.



Statutory Review Of The GCA 2013-16
(PDF Document, 577.86 KB)

Biofuels

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of bioenergy's contribution to cutting harmful emissions.

lord henley: Sustainable bioenergy has played a valuable, transitional role in helping us meet our 2020 renewable energy targets and move to a low-carbon energy mix. In 2018, electricity generation from bioenergy was a record 35.6 TWh which constituted 32% of electricity generated from renewable sources.1 As set out in the Clean Air Strategy, we are also reviewing the air quality impacts of biomass to ensure that our energy policies can jointly tackle climate change and improve air quality. A consultation on ending support for new coal to biomass conversions will be conducted in due course.2 1. Energy Trends December 2018 (attached)2. Clean Air Strategy 2019 (available on Gov.Uk)



Energy Trends 2018
(PDF Document, 2.42 MB)

Business: Billing

baroness smith of gilmorehill: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the announcement in the Spring Statement that listed companies will be required to report on their payment performance in their annual report and accounts in order to tackle the issue of late payment, (1) how theyintend to publish this information, and (2) whenthey will assess whether adequate improvement has been made.

lord henley: At Spring Statement, my rt. hon Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that Government will require large company’s Audit Committees to review payments practices and report them in their annual accounts. We are in discussion on the best mechanism to implement this and further details will be published in due course as part of the Government Response to the Creating a Responsible Payment Culture Call for Evidence.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Darfur: Genocide

baroness helic: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of allegations of genocide in Darfur; whataction the international community might take as a result; and what discussions they have had with the government of Sudan about any such allegations.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: In 2005, after receiving a report by the International Commission of Inquiry on Darfur, the United Nations Security Council referred the situation to the International Criminal Court by adopting Resolution 1593, which the UK as a permanent member of the Security Council supported in full. The International Criminal Court investigation, which opened in June 2005, has produced several cases involving charges that include genocide, as well as other mass atrocity crimes. The UK’s support for the International Criminal Court is steadfast and we continue to call on the Sudanese authorities to ensure due legal process is followed.

Abdullah Öcalan

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made, if any, of the concerns expressed by hunger strikers protesting at the prison conditions of Abdullah Öcalan; and what assessment they have made of the need to resolve the Kurdish–Turkish conflict.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We are aware of the concerns expressed by hunger-strikers around the isolation of Abdullah Öcalan. Similar concerns were also considered by the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) in their report, published in March 2018, of their April 2016 visit to the prison in which Mr Öcalan is held. We encourage Turkey to adopt the CPT's recommendations. With regard to the decades of conflict in Turkey, we have consistently urged an end to PKK violence and for both sides to return to a peace process. PKK violence has cost the lives of some thousand members of the Turkish security forces and scores of civilians since July 2015.

Ali Hajji

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Bahrain to secure medical treatment for Ali Alhajee, who resumed his hunger strike in Jau Prison on 5 April in protest at the continued failure of prison authorities to provide adequate medical treatment and meals in accordance with his dietary requirements.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and our Embassy in Bahrain closely follow events in Manama. We are aware of the case of Mr Ali Al Hajee and allegations of mistreatment in detention, and have raised his case at a senior level with the Government of Bahrain.We encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to raise them with the appropriate Bahraini human rights oversight body and continue to encourage the oversight bodies in Bahrain to carry out thorough and swift investigations into any such claims.

Mariam Albardoli

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 21 March (HL14745),what assessment they havemade of the investigative allegations against Major Mariam Albardoli; whether they have raised these allegations with the government of Bahrain; and what stepsthey are taking to ensure compliance with international human rights legislation.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The UK continues to encourage the Government of Bahrain to protect human rights for all of its citizens, in line with its international obligations. We are aware of allegations of mistreatment in detention and have raised these at a senior level with the Government of Bahrain.We encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to report these to the appropriate oversight body. We encourage the oversight bodies to carry out swift, thorough and impartial investigations.​

Hajer Mansoor Hassan

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 18 March (HL14213), what assessment they have made of reports that prison authorities in Bahrain continue to provide inadequate medical care to the political prisoner Hajer Mansoor Hassan, including by restricting access to medical records and failing to organise follow-up appointments.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: As previously stated in the written answer to HL14213, our Embassy in Manama and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office continue to follow the case of Ms Mansoor. We have raised the issue of access to medical care with the Government of Bahrain at a senior level and have been given categorical assurances that Ms Mansoor will continue to receive access to appropriate medical care.We encourage those with concerns about treatment in detention to report them to the appropriate Bahraini human rights oversight body and continue to encourage these oversight bodies to carry out swift and thorough investigations into any such concerns or allegations.

Hassan Mushaima

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of reports that prison authorities in Bahrain have provided inadequate medical care to political prisoner Hassan Mushaima, including by imposing humiliating measures which violate Article 47 of the UN Nelson Mandela Rules.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: Our Embassy in Manama and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office continue to follow the case of Hassan Mushaima closely and have raised it with the Government of Bahrain at a senior level. The Government of Bahrain have given categorical assurances that, in his case and others, there is and has been access to appropriate medical care while in detention.​

Bahrain: Torture

lord scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 18 March (HL14745), whether they will reconsider their advice to victims of torture to seek recourse from Bahraini oversight bodies, considering that the UN and non-governmental organisations publications that the Minister refers to in his answer are evidence of the inefficacy of such institutions.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The oversight bodies are structured so that they are able to carry out their set mandates and operate independently from the organisations that they oversee. While these bodies still have more to do, they have already demonstrated their abilities, including through the prosecution of over 80 police officers accused of human rights abuses.

Department of Health and Social Care

General Practitioners: Fees and Charges

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress they have made in preventing victims of domestic abuse from being charged by GPs for letters needed to access legal and other professional services.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: We recognise the importance of tackling domestic abuse. General practitioners (GPs) can have an important role in supporting victims, including by providing evidence to enable them to access services. As providing evidence for victims of domestic abuse is not a contractual obligation for GPs they are able to charge, though not all will. GP provision of evidence was discussed as part of the 2019/20 GP contract negotiations and work is ongoing to improve the process.Charges for provision of evidence of domestic abuse are not a specific requirement of the contractual relationship between GPs and the National Health Service. The Ministry of Justice and the General Practitioners Council are currently working together to clarify and improve the process for GPs and applicants in relation to evidence of domestic violence for legal aid applications.The Government is absolutely clear that victims of domestic violence must have access to the help that they need, including access to legal aid. In January 2018 we made changes to legislation which introduced new forms of evidence, expanded the scope of existing evidence and completely removed the time limit from all forms of evidence for domestic violence. These changes aimed to make it easier for victims, or those at risk, of domestic violence to obtain and provide the evidence required to access legal aid, and reduce the risk of genuine victims not being able to obtain the required evidence.These changes included broadening the categories of health professionals that can provide evidence to reduce the reliance on letters from GPs. Medical practitioners are able to confirm injuries or conditions consistent with domestic violence without suggesting that abuse is solely physical.

Mental Health Services: Children

the lord bishop of newcastle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the causes of the fall in real-terms funding per child for low-level mental health services in 60per cent of local authorities in England given the £226 million reported as planned spending for 2018/19.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: Local authority funding is a matter for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government.The Department recognises the need to increase funding for National Health Service mental health services for children and young people. The planned spend by NHS clinical commissioning groups on children and young people’s mental health for 2018/19 is £727.3 million. This represents an increase of around 40% from the spend in 2015/16, which was £516 million.

Department for International Development

Council of Europe Development Bank

lord touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have any plans to join the Council of Europe Development Bank.

baroness sugg: Her Majesty’s Government has no plans to join the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB). The CEB focuses its operations in 22 target countries in Central, Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, including the Balkans. The UK already has the tools to achieve our development objectives in these geographies in an effective way that represents value for money for the UK tax payer. For example, we work bilaterally through the joint DFID-FCO Good Governance Fund and have a multilateral footprint through our capital share in the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

Department for Education

Children in Care

lord bach: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the need to require a placing local authority to introduce a procedure for when young people are placed in another local authority area for that local authority to be informed of the young person’s circumstances and needs and to jointly assess the suitability of the placement and the risk exposure of the young person; and whether they have any plans to introduce such a requirement.

lord bach: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to evaluate the impact of the passing on of costs by local authorities to other local authorities when placing a young person in another local authority; and what consideration they have given to asking the National Policing Chief’s Council and the Association of Directors of Children’s Services to undertake such work.

lord agnew of oulton: Where local authorities are placing a young person out of area, there are clear statutory requirements in place to safeguard young people. These require the placing authority to inform the host authority before confirming the placement, and to check whether the host authority is aware of any concerns about the setting. The statutory responsibilities for looked after children remain with the placing local authority, and Directors of Children’s Services must approve all distant placements. As a lack of sufficient placements to meet young people’s needs can lead to children being placed out of area, we are investing part of our £200 million Children’s Social Care Innovation Programme in projects in London, where demand for placements outstrips supply. This would also help to increase councils’ capacity so that fewer children are placed far away from home.Where there is a dispute between local authorities about who should have responsibility for a looked after child, the ordinary residence determination process provides a mechanism to resolve this. The department has also launched the Boarding School Partnerships (BSP) to encourage boarding school placements for children in care and those on the edge of care, where it was in the best interests of the child. The BSP has been working with the boarding schools sector to provide a supply of places to local authorities supported by bursaries.

Schools: Sugar

baroness redfern: To ask Her Majesty's Government what additional support, funding, and guidance they intend to provide to schools to (1) limit the availability of sugar products in schools, and (2) become sugar-free.

lord agnew of oulton: This government wants pupils to be healthy and well nourished. We encourage a healthy balanced diet and healthy life choices through school funding, legislation and guidance. The attached School Food Standards provide the legislative framework to ensure schools provide children with healthy food and drink options. On 18 August 2016, the government published its plan for action (attached) to significantly reduce childhood obesity by supporting healthier choices. One of the commitments in the plan was to update the School Food Standards. The School Food Standards regulate the food and drink provided at both lunchtime and at other times of the school day, including, for example, breakfast clubs, tuck shops, mid-morning break, vending machines and after school clubs. The standards severely restrict foods high in fat, salt and sugar, as well as low quality reformed or reconstituted foods. They ensure that pupils always have healthy options for their school lunch. We are working with Public Health England to update the regulations. This will focus on reducing sugar consumption and will be supported by detailed guidance to caterers and schools. More detail will follow shortly.



hl15257_School_Food_Standards
(PDF Document, 67.68 KB)




HL15257_Childhood_Obesity_A_Plan_for_Action
(PDF Document, 409.15 KB)

Ministry of Justice

Probation

baroness redfern: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the positive impact of face-to-face meetings between ex-offenders and National Probation Service officials; how many such meetings there have been, in England and Wales, in each of the last 12 months; and what steps they intend to take to (1) reduce supervision by telephone, and (2) increase face-to-face meetings, for ex-offenders.

lord keen of elie: The impact of face-to-face meetings between ex-offenders and National Probation Service (NPS) officials is not formally assessed. Both NPS and Community Rehabilitation Company (CRC) staff use their professional judgement to determine the required frequency and most appropriate form of supervision.Remote supervision should not be used as the only means by which an offender is supervised, which is why we have recently amended CRC contracts to ensure all offenders under supervision in the community are offered face-to-face contact with their Responsible Officer at least once a month. Data on this measure will be published on 24 April 2019.

Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

Housing

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what specific legislative measures they have taken since the publication of Fixing our broken housing market (Cm 9352) on 7 February 2017.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: In February 2017 we published our Housing White Paper setting out our strategy for fixing our broken housing market. We have taken forward or sponsored four major pieces of relevant legislation since then, as part of our comprehensive package of reform which implements the White Paper and builds on it further. These reforms will make our housing market work better and support our ambition to raise housing supply to 300,000 per year by the mid-2020s.The legislative measures we have implemented include the Neighbourhood Planning Act, which received Royal Assent on 27 April 2017. It introduced wide ranging changes to neighbourhood planning, planning conditions and compulsory purchase.In 2017, we backed the Homelessness Reduction Act, which transforms the culture of homelessness service delivery. From April 2018, the Act has ensured that, for the first time, local authorities, public services and the third sector will work together to actively prevent homelessness for people at risk.We also backed the Homes (Fitness for Human Habitation) Act 2018, which came into force in March and empowers tenants to hold their landlords to account if they fail to keep the property fit for human habitation.Most recently, we brought forward the Tenant Fees Act 2019, which bans unfair letting fees paid by tenants in the private rented sector and caps tenancy deposits in England. This is part of a wider package of measures aimed at rebalancing the relationship between tenants and landlords to deliver a fairer, good quality and more affordable private rented sector. The ban on unfair letting fees will come into force on 1 June 2019.More widely, the Government has bought forward at least £44 billion of financial support to 2022/23 to increase housing supply and diversify the housing market, as well as reforms such as the revision of the National Planning Policy Framework to ensure more land is available for housing whilst protecting the Green Belt.

Council Housing: Older People

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the need for additional council house provision for older people in rural areas.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: It is for local authorities in rural areas to determine the need for additional council housing provision for older people. We are giving local authorities the tools they need to build. We have abolished the Housing Revenue Account borrowing cap, so that local authorities have the freedom to borrow to build in line with the Prudential Code. Additionally, local authorities can bid alongside housing associations for the £9 billion Affordable Homes Programme to build affordable homes; and we are providing a longer term rent deal for 5 years from 2020 so that councils have a stable investment environment to deliver new homes.

Local Government: Property Transfer

lord lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, when a local authority acts, for a fee, as a guarantor for a property transaction in which it has no other interest in a distant local authority the details of this transaction should be (1) available to the public, (2) reported inthat authority's accounts, and (3) subject to permission from central government; and if so, how.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The general power of competence is provided for in section 1 of the Localism Act 2011. It gives councils confidence in their legal capacity to act for communities and is designed to allow local authorities to innovate. Prior to the 2011 Act, local authorities could only do what Parliament had provided they could do – local authorities were given discrete, often narrowly defined powers. The general power of competence was provided on the basis that local authorities would be able to do anything that an individual with full capacity might do, other than that which is specifically prohibited, with some limitations. Section 1 of the Localism Act 2011 also builds on existing powers to charge and to trade. If a local authority wishes to trade for a commercial purpose, this must be carried out through a company. Anyone has a right to request information from a public authority, including a company that is wholly owned by a public authority.If a local authority receives a fee for services that it provides it will need to ensure that those transactions are accurately reflected in the annual financial accounts, which it is required to complete. The annual accounts should reflect requirements of the relevant accounting and reporting framework. Proper accounting practices for local authorities are set by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA). Local authorities also need to comply with legislative requirements set out in statute. One specific requirement that local authorities are required to include in their accounts concerns related party transactions. These items should be shown as a disclosure note which supplements the core financial statements. However, it will only be disclosed where the transactions are material. In addition, local authorities complete annual statistical returns of their expenditure which are submitted to MHCLG. These returns should include all income that a local authority receives throughout the year including fees and charges. The RO forms for 2017/18 can be found at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/local-authority-revenue-expenditure-and-financing-england-2017-to-2018-individual-local-authority-data-outturn.If a local authority provides a service using their general power of competence, they are not required to seek permission from central Government. The Secretary of State has powers to limit local authorities use of the general power of competence, subject to Parliamentary approval of an Order.



The RO forms 2017/18
(Excel SpreadSheet, 722.11 KB)

Local Government: Borrowing

lord lucas: To ask Her Majesty's Government when a local authority borrows via the Public Works Loan Board to invest in commercial property principally in order to make a margin to help finance expenditure, what rules set out how this should be disclosed in their accounts; and what permissions they require from central government toborrow such money for such an investment.

lord bourne of aberystwyth: The Prudential Framework allows local authorities to borrow without Government consent, subject to being satisfied they can afford to service the costs of borrowing through available resources.The decision making process for capital investment and borrowing decisions is devolved to the local authority. Central Government’s responsibility in this area is to set the framework which local authorities operate within.Whilst local authorities determine their own capital programmes, legislation states that local authorities have to have regard to The Prudential Code which is issued and updated by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA). The prudential framework is designed to ensure that the capital expenditure plans of a local authority, including commercial property investments, are affordable, prudent and sustainable. This will include the setting of a number of prudential indicators relating to affordable borrowing levels which have to be approved by full council every year.To further support the Prudential Framework, last year we updated The Statutory Guidance on Local Authority Investments. It was updated with the intention of ensuring that local authorities take investment decisions after careful consideration of risk and proportionality, including the potential benefits. The Guidance can be viewed using the link (attached) below: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/678866/Guidance_on_local_government_investments.pdfWhen accounting for investments in commercial property, local authorities are required to comply with proper accounting practices, which are updated annually by CIPFA through their Code of Practice on Local Authority Accounting. The Code interprets international financial reporting standards for application by local authorities in a way that is consistent with the specific legislative requirements of the sector.



Guidance
(PDF Document, 296.62 KB)

Ministry of Defence

HMS Queen Elizabeth

lord campbell of pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty's Government when it is anticipated that HMS Queen Elizabeth will undergo its first dry dock maintenance at Rosyth Dockyard.

earl howe: HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH safely docked at Rosyth on 6 April 2019.

Military Bases: South West

lord campbell of pittenweem: To ask Her Majesty's Government what factors influenced the decision to delay and scale back the proposals to concentrate military units in Devon and Somerset in a single large-scale garrison.

earl howe: In November 2016 the Ministry of Defence outlined the Department's intention to create an estate optimised to support Defence capabilities and communities; these plans were, however, subject to further, detailed assessment work.Although this work on future basing options for a number of Royal Marines sites will not report until 2021, work to date has confirmed that the current locations and supporting infrastructure arrangements for RMB Chivenor and Norton Manor Camp are fundamentally sound and best to serve the future Royal Marines requirements.

Department for Work and Pensions

Social Security Benefits: Disability

baroness thomas of winchester: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they have opened consultation on merging Personal Independence Payment and Employment and Support Allowance assessments; and if not, when they intend to do so.

baroness buscombe: In their responses to the 2016 Improving Lives: Work, Health and Disability Green Paper consultation and through several other forums, stakeholders have raised concerns about the feeling of duplication across the current assessment processes. We have therefore been exploring options to reduce this, and make improvements to the customer experience. By testing the feasibility of a single assessment for Employment and Support Allowance/Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment we can seek to understand if it will improve the assessment process for our customers, and ensure that they still get the right decision. The design of the feasibility test will be informed by existing evidence and through our continued engagement with external stakeholders and disabled people themselves using existing forums, between now and over the course of Summer 2019. Beyond this we are continuing to work with stakeholders on other improvements to the assessment process, including the introduction of an integrated service, and reform of the Work Capability Assessment.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species

lord black of brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made in ensuring that musicians directly affected by restrictions on the trade and movement of products covered by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora can continue to travel between the UK and the EU post-Brexit.

lord gardiner of kimble: The Government has been working closely with the music industry on this issue. The focus has been on finding ways to make it easier for musicians who are travelling with instruments which have components listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) to travel easily between the UK and the EU in the event of a no deal scenario. We have been increasing awareness of CITES Musical Instrument Certificates, which allow multiple movements of instruments across the UK border.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species

lord black of brentwood: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress has been made in increasing the number of ports designatedas points of entry for goods covered by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

lord gardiner of kimble: In the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal, the Government has recently made provision to increase the number of ports designated as points of entry for goods covered by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) from 10 to 25. The full list can be found on the Government’s website:https://www.gov.uk/guidance/trading-cites-listed-species-through-uk-ports-and-airports-after-brexit. The increase in the number of CITES designated ports is one part of the Government’s wider strategy to ensure that we are able to respond to a significant increase in demand for CITES related inspection and certification in the event that the UK leaves the EU without a deal. It balances our commitment to delivering on our international obligations to protect endangered species with the need to ensure the smooth functioning of our ports.

National Parks: Wildlife

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of wildlife decline in UK national parks.

lord gardiner of kimble: National Parks policy is a devolved matter, so the following information relates to England only. The Government has not to date published a specific assessment of changes in wildlife populations in National Parks, but there is national monitoring and local species survey data that can be used to determine broad trends. In general terms, we observe trends in National Parks similar to those seen in the wider countryside. There have been long-term declines for a number of species and some habitats are in unfavourable condition, often because of past land use. There have, however, been a number of recent conservation successes, for example, the Moors for the Future Partnership, which was set up to restore peatland in the Peak District and South Pennines, and the Two Moors Project in Dartmoor and Exmoor, which has boosted marsh fritillary butterfly abundance following years of decline. The Government has commissioned a Review of England’s designated landscapes (National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)), which is being led by Julian Glover, supported by an experienced advisory group. Central to its remit is how to enhance the environment and biodiversity in National Parks and AONBs. We are expecting the report later this year.

Food: Rural Areas

baroness mcintosh of pickering: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the importance of the food and drink industry to the rural economy; and what steps they intend to take to ensure that food safety standards are maintained.

lord gardiner of kimble: The food and drink industry, and the wider agri-food sector, forms an integral part of the rural economy whether in primary production, manufacturing, retail, or hospitality. The Government recognises its importance and provides a range of support for the industry and the rural economy as a whole. The UK has world leading standards of food safety and quality, backed by a rigorous legislative framework. We will maintain these high standards once the UK leaves the EU. Rural Economy and Food and Drink  Various figures demonstrate the importance of the food and drink industry to the rural economy. The industry employed 3 million people in 2017 in England, over 475,000 (16%) of whom lived in rural areas. 31% of all business units that produce food products or beverages are in rural areas. Food and drink manufacturing in rural areas in England (excluding animal feed and pet food) had a turnover of £11 billion in 2017. In 2016 an estimated 2% of the gross value added of predominantly rural areas came from farming, forestry and fishing. The Government provides a range of support for the rural economy. We are investing over £500 million in rural businesses and communities through the socioeconomic schemes within the Rural Development Programme for England. This includes over £250 million for rural business growth and broadband infrastructure through the Growth Programme; £150 million for locally identified business and community priorities through LEADER; and £140 million for improving farm performance through Countryside Productivity. Rural communities can also receive support through Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs). The Government also provides support for the agri-food sector. Defra’s work on the Industrial Strategy includes the Food and Drink Sector Council, the Food and Drink Sector Deal (currently in negotiations) and the Food and Drink LEP Network. The Government promotes increasing agricultural productivity through a range of programmes including the Transforming Food Production Fund and the Agri-Tech Strategy. The Government will publish a National Food Strategy once we leave the EU. Food Standards When we leave the EU, we will maintain our current high standards. We will keep our existing UK legislation, and the EU Withdrawal Act will convert EU law into UK law as it applies at the moment of departure. As noted above, the UK has world leading standards of food safety and quality, backed by a rigorous legislative framework. We will maintain these high standards once the UK leaves the EU. We are working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care, the Food Standards Agency, the Department for Exiting the European Union and the devolved administrations to ensure that the UK’s world leading reputation for food safety and standards continues after we leave the EU. Maintaining safety and public confidence in the food we all eat is a high priority for the Government. We are committed to upholding and strengthening our high standards. Future trade agreements must support the UK’s food safety, animal welfare, and environmental standards. The Secretary of State has been clear on numerous occasions that we intend to maintain our standards when pursuing any trade deals.

Birds of Prey: Conservation

baroness redfern: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) size of the population of, and (2) the threat of extinction faced by, hen harriers in England; and whether they intend to introduce a licencing system for grouse moors to protect hen harriers.

lord gardiner of kimble: Natural England confirms that the breeding population of hen harriers in England in 2018 was 14 pairs and is assessed as extremely vulnerable, although there has been a trend for more breeding pairs in the last few years. The birds in England are part of a population that spans England, Scotland and Wales, which is not under immediate threat of extinction. The Government does not have plans to regulate grouse shooting.

Home Office

British Nationality

baroness berridge: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the “best interests of the children test” pursuant to section 55 of the Borders, Citizens and Immigration Act 2009 was applied in the cases where those having their citizenship revoked had British children in their care.

baroness williams of trafford: The duty in Section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act 2009 to have regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children who are in the United Kingdom, applies to all immigration and nationality decisions.This includes decisions taken to deprive an individual of British citizenship where it is conducive to the public good. Where a child is outside of the UK, the Home Secretary applies the spirit of the Act and therefore still takes into account the best interests of the child when making decisions which affect them.

Livestock: Theft

baroness kennedy of cradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of livestock theft in England.

baroness williams of trafford: According to the 2017 Commercial Victimisation Survey (CVS), 2 per cent of premises in the Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing sector premises located in England and Wales had experienced livestock theft in the previous 12 months, a similar level found to that in the 2013 CVS (4 per cent).Details can be found at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/704366/crime-against-businesses-2017-hosb0718.pdf



Crime Against Businesses 2017 - Report 
(PDF Document, 1.37 MB)

Slavery

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the research published by the Cooperative Group on 1 March that said that 18 per cent of the British public were unaware of modern slavery; and what plans they have to increase public awareness of modern slavery.

baroness williams of trafford: Tackling modern slavery remains a top priority for this Government. We are aware of the Cooperative Group’s research. We are committed to collabo-rating with business, civil society organisations and the public sector to im-prove the evidence about the nature and scale of modern slavery. We con-tinue to take action to raise awareness to encourage reporting and to prevent this crime from happening in the first place.For example;• In March 2019, the Home Office worked closely with the Cabinet Office to launch a targeted pilot communications campaign focusing on labour exploitation in the West Midlands, West Yorkshire and Cambridgeshire. We are working with frontline professionals in the banking, healthcare and job centre sectors to im-prove how they spot the signs of modern slavery and encourage greater reporting.• In January 2018, the National Crime Agency launched the Invisible People campaign, a touring photographic exhibition which portrayed the signs of slavery and exploitation to raise awareness across the country• In 2018, we piloted a targeted, localised communications activity in Manchester, Barking and Dagenham focused on particular types of modern slavery. We worked with communities to co-create and pilot communications activity designed to help spot the signs of domestic servitude and encourage reporting• Following the introduction of Anti-Slavery Day (18 October), in 2018 we launched a week long social media campaign to raise awareness of modern slavery across the UK.• Border Force continue to work with port operators across the country to encourage display of anti-modern slavery messaging. This includes communications materials visible in all UK ports, such as Heathrow airport who collaborated with A21 to produce and display the ‘can you see me’ posters at its terminals. Border Force is also working with the NGO Unseen to ensure that information about the Modern Slavery Helpline is displayed at arrival points in the UK.• Prosecutions for Modern Slavery continue to receive extensive media coverage which is increasing public awareness of these crimes. For example, the 2018 trial of British citizen Josephine Iyamu who was the first ever convicted cross border sex-trafficker under the Modern Slavery Act 2015, receiving an 18-year sentence. This highlights that any crimes relating to modern slavery, will not be tolerated.

Home Office: Data Protection

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the data breaches by the Home Office which led to the sharing of personal data of applicants for settled status and of applicants for the Windrush Compensation Scheme do not recur.

baroness williams of trafford: The Home Office takes its data protection responsibilities very seriously and is committed to the continued improvement of its performance against the UK’s high data protection standards.Strict controls have been put in place on the use of emails when communicating with two or more members of the public, including oversight of communications by Senior Civil Servants and use of alternative technology to prevent reoccurrence. Along with internal reviews which are currently underway, an independent review of the Department’s compliance with its data protection obligations has also been commissioned which will report in due course.The written ministerial statements addressing the data breaches involving Windrush compensation customers and EUSS customers can be found at the links below:https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2019-04-08/HCWS1496/https://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questions-answers-statements/written-statement/Commons/2019-04-11/HCWS1508/



WMS HCWS 1508 
(PDF Document, 303.27 KB)




WMS HCWS 1496
(PDF Document, 436.2 KB)

CCTV

lord selkirk of douglas: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to roll-out CCTV in areas which have high violent crime rates, including of knife crime.

baroness williams of trafford: While most public space CCTV systems are owned, monitored and managed by local authorities, the Government has supported local initiatives to inform the effective deployment of CCTV and is supportive of police and local authorities’ use of CCTV in helping to prevent and tackle serious violence. This is consistent with the focus of the Serious Violence Strategy, in using all available tools and techniques to respond to recent rises in serious violence. Since the launch of the Strategy in April 2018, we have, amongst a raft of activities, launched a £22m Early Intervention Youth Fund which is already supporting 29 projects in England and Wales, a national knife crime media campaign - #knife free; a new National County Lines Co-ordination Centre to tackle this violent and exploitative criminal activity; and the Offensive Weapons Bill to strengthen legislation on firearms, knives and corrosive substances.On 2 October 2018 the Home Secretary announced further important measures including a consultation on new legal duty to support a multi-agency approach to preventing and tackling serious violence, a new long term £200 million Youth Endowment Fund, and an Independent Review of Drug MisuseMost recently, on 13 March the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced that an additional £100 million, including £80 million of new funding from HM Treasury, for serious violence in 2019/20 to help the police’s immediate response to the rise in knife crime, and to support investment in Violence Reduction Units, bringing together a range of agencies including health, education, social services and others, to develop a multi-agency approach in preventing serious violence altogether. It is important that we recognise that greater law enforcement on its own will not reduce serious violence and that we must continue to focus on prevention and early intervention alongside this.

CCTV: Scotland

lord selkirk of douglas: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by the Minister of State for the Scotland Office on 9 May 1996 (HC27914) in which the Minister stated that about £4 million was made available to fund CCTV for the subsequent three years to reduce crime and fear of crime in Scotland, what assessment they have made of the impact of this funding in leading to an increase in detection and deterrence of crime and to a substantive reduction in crime.

baroness williams of trafford: Evidence shows that CCTV can have a significant impact in deterring offenders and reducing overall crime. There has been no government assessment of the impact of this specific funding, which was made available to Scotland in 1996.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Internet: Pornography

baroness howe of idlicote: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they will implement the requirements in the Digital Economy Act 2017 in relation to age verification on websites with pornographic content.

lord ashton of hyde: Age verification for online pornography is a world-leading measure to protect our children from adult content which is currently far too easy to access online. The Government, and the British Board of Film Classification as the regulator, are taking the time to get the implementation of this policy right and ensure it is effective.The government recently announced that from 15 July commercial providers of online pornography will be required by law to carry out robust age -verification checks on users, to ensure that they are 18 or over.